Thanos returns to his glory only to reach the end of time to witness his greatest glory and ultimate shame!

On Chitauri Prime, The Mad Titan has set foot in their gladiatorial arena a few hours ago and he almost forgot about the tyrannical Chitauri before that. He conquered their homeworld after decimating anyone who came in his way and crushed the skull of their king under his boot but was very disappointed upon finding no challenge here.

As he sits on the throne while his new army cheers for him, one of them pledges their entire armada for him and asks if he would ask his "God" to stop killing them now, causing him to wonder!

Since the creature appears like Phoneix and cuts through their defenses sooner than he did, they thought it to be his God. At that very moment, blood starts raining heavily from sky as Leviathans were getting slaughtered and Thanos started to smile after a long time, because it strongly stinks of Death.

Soon the mysterious being is revealed to be a cosmic version of Ghost Rider! Although he is all hellfire and brimstone, but neither Johnny Blaze nor Danny Ketch has become Spirit of Vengeance this time and he is from future.

Thanos – Thanos Wins | Comics

The Rider asks Thanos to come along but he refuses to oblige and tells Mephisto to come and meet if he wants to. He is confused and explains that killing son of Titan will mess up timeline only to get punched on face. Before making another move, he is wrapped in chains by GR, which are made off the bones of Cyttorak.

The pawn of Hell also possess a fragment of Time Stone and teleports them both using it. Million years into future, he delivered an imprisoned Thanos to his master, Final King, who is an older version of The Mad Titan.

There are mightiest beings in existence that are superior to everyone else and there are heroes who protect the entire universe from major threats. However, deep down inside them all are afraid of one single thing, to see Thanos win! Unfortunately, it finally happened and sitting on the skull of Galactus, he tells to his younger self how the entire universe was doomed the moment he was born.

One by one, he took down every heroes of Earth with precise planning when they slowly grew old and when a group of Celestials came to judge, he vanquished them all with a thunderous scream of Inhuman King, Black Bolt.

Angry over dragging him through time and still in disbelief, Thanos knocks his older self but decides to align with him moments later, when he finally proves him to be the real deal. He brought his younger counterpart to this timeline for his help in killing The Fallen One, a former herald of Galactus and after killing every living thing in the known universe, he is the only one left to deliver to Death.

Despite once being a terror for everyone, the Final King seeking his help to kill a rogue herald doesn't seem plausible to Thanos.

Following the past two stories, Thanos faced his son Thane and then allied with his brother Starfox and estranged daughter Nebula to defeat him before finally restoring his godhood. This very arc briefly explores how he continuously threatened reality over time during the events of Infinity Gauntlet, Infinity War, Infinity Crusade, Annihilation Wars and Infinity.

Wednesday, August 31, 2016

The Merc with a Mouth, Deadpool and webbed wonder, Spider-Man are teaming up together as a real dynamic duo in the neighborhood.

When one of his old enemies Morris Bench, better known as Hydro-Man came up with his latest scheme to sink New York City with its own sewage if he is not getting paid a hundred million dollars, Spider-Man decided to stop him while making bathroom jokes.

As he was on his fourth web cartridge, hired mercenary Deadpool showed up to check on him after he rage-quit Avengers Unity Division. Spidey was already having a tough time paring with Wet-Nap and now he's got to deal with Wade as well.

Since he has trouble understanding how society's moral contract work, DP's therapist suggested him a morality app and according to the suggestion it gave, he decided to go "Chaotic Neutral", which means, he will do whatever he thinks best in this situation.

So, he grabbed webhead and teleported to Hell only to get captured by the dreaded Dormammu and his army of Mindless Ones. As hanging upside down, they are caught in Spidey's webbing but Wade then came up with a butt-cracking idea!

He managed to snap his own hip for Spidey to grab his katana and cut them loose and the latter did so skeptically. Almost immediately after getting free, Deadpool gets overwhelmed by a horde of Mindless Ones but the wall-crawler pulled him out and it fixed his hip back.

As more of them try to swarm the duo, Dee Pee unexpectedly pulls out some real brains off his pouches that he got from a morgue and starts slamming them into their heads. Now, it starts turning them into "Mindful Ones". Having brains of the self-entitled millennials, they start rebelling against their master and the two teleports out of Hell in the mean time.

Spider-Man/Deadpool – Isn't it Bromantic | Comics

Back in New York, they came across Hydro-Man once again and now Deadpool starts throwing poop jokes at him. After getting showered in poop water, Spidey throws Wade at the villain to detonate his incendiary grenades and it went KA-BOOM!

Spider-Man asks why Wade wants to hang out with him all of a sudden and he replies that he wants to be like Spidey. Back at his place, he receives a contract for killing Peter Parker, who is also the employer of his webhead friend and it makes everything complicated.

At Parker Industries, Peter was having a scene regarding the launch of a wrist device Webware 2.0, while Wade sits back at home going through evidence on his target sent by his contractor. Upon seeing them, his wife Shiklah confirms that the targeted individual deserves a seat in Hell but advises her husband to verify it for himself.

Given that he has no way of contacting his role-model, Wade Wilson starts mugging people off the street and Ultimate Spider-Man, Miles Morales had to call Spidey in for help. He came demanding an explanation from Wade but the next thing they know; they are surrounded by dozens of Goblins from "Goblin Nation".

Deadpool could see through the hallucination they were in and came forward to help driving a revamped Spider-Mobile as Dead-Buggy over the building and shot the wrist devices of Spider-Men. Apparently, someone hacked into their Webware and created this illusion and tracking it back, they crash into the one responsible who turned out to be Mysterio.

Both parties leave but Wade sneaks into Parker Industries to find out a group of scientists experimenting on a subject and he kills off every one of them in disgust. Just when he is fully convinced, he calls his employer "Patient Zero" and accepts the contract.

Webhead have a shift in perspective and eventually starts thinking that Wade is not that awful. They even go on a double date with demonic Succubus named Jenny, who is a cousin of Shiklah and Jane Foster, the female Thor! The real fun begins when Deadpool accidentally makes a mess and tries to undo it with a great cost.

Though these two are an odd duo, who typically doesn't work well together and one of them pissed off another just by being part of a badass team in "Uncanny Avengers – Lost Future", proves that putting them together successfully is a herculean task. Wade Wilson extended a helping hand to Peter Parker during a dirty job that involves them dipping into human filth by Hydro-Man, going to Hell and both of them dying.

Reference from 1994 crossover event "Clone Saga", "One More Day" story arc following the events of Civil War as well as Doctor Strange was mentioned at one point. Entities like Death and Mephisto makes cameo appearance because of their unconventional ties to these two iconic characters, who will return in upcoming arc titled "Side Pieces".
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Thursday, March 6, 2014

Jack O'Lantern showed up at Flash Thompson's father's funeral on behalf of his boss Crime-Master with a deal that involves retrieving a package for him or see his family suffer. Given the situation, Flash had no other choice but to comply to keep his loved ones safe. This led him to steal the symbiote for himself when Captain America comes in to shut down "Project Rebirth" the next day and then he flees the facility. Cap gives Flash a chase into the forest and these two fights for control as the former unsuccessfully tries to convince to give up the suit.

Flash managed to best Captain America in combat and when he got back with the suit, he found himself teaming up with Jack O'Lantern to a road-trip. Cap then tasked Red Hulk with a solo mission to retrieve Venom symbiote and bring it back to base. The following day, Flash and Jack heads straight to Devil's Den Casino of Las Vegas, where they breaks in to get the Toxin symbiote for Crime-Master but as soon as Venom senses it, Flash loses control over his suit and things goes way out of hand.

Venom – Circle of Four | Comics

Whatever control Flash had over the symbiote is gone and tries to eleminate the Toxin symbiote so that it could not compete with Venom for a battle of dominance on Earth in future. Jack O'Lantern breaks in to secure the package and remind Flash to calm down as he puts the symbiote in a container. Venom completely ignores anything that Jack said and keeps violently pouncing at the villain to get the container back. Crime-Master suggests Jack to run for his life and he barely made it out of Flash's clutch by threatening his family if the latter doesn't comply.

Flash calls Betty and breaks up with her to cut ties with her and save her from Crime-Master and Jack O'Lantern. By the time, he calmed down, General Thunderbolt Ross AKA the Red Hulk was looking for the symbiote to take it back into custody. Seeing a hostile Rulk breaking-in, the suit tries to take over him and they blew up a gas station in the ensuing struggle. Meanwhile, Wolverine's cloned daughter X-23 gets into the casino tracking the trail of a vial of her blood and discovers a band of Symbiote Warriors cloned in tubes.

Devil's Den Casino owner Mr. Degli and his girlfriend Ms. Oyle goes to a satanic machine with hundred sinful souls to open a black doorway and sensing this, the new Spirit of Vengeance; Alejandra Jones heads to the location, leaving Johnny Blaze in the Nevada desert. While rushing into the scene, Alejandra accidentally helped activate the doorway as demons enters Earth. Mr. Degli and Ms. Oyle reveal them to be Blackheart and his lover Gari Oyle as Ghost Rider, Red Hulk, Venom and X-23 appears to fight Hell and Antithesis; the dark counterpart of their own to save Earth.

"Circle of Four" is a six-part plotline that ran into the second monthly ongoing comic-book volume of Venom from Marvel Comics, written by Jeff Parker, Rick Remender (AXIS, Captain America – Castaway in Dimension Z), Rob Williams and drawn by Julian Tedesco, Lan Medina, Lee Garbett, Sana Takeda, Tony Moore (Deadpool, Punisher). The story is another father-son hatred battle to rise to power in Hell between the demon Blackheart and his father Mephisto. As always, Mephisto found some pawns to do his bidding and gave them something that they wanted in return like a master manipulator.

Circle of Damnation

This skirmish of Hell also added never before teamed-up characters like Ghost Rider, Red Hulk, Venom and X-23 side by side to work as a team, which also is homage to the New Fantastic Four storyline from the 90's. Though it was very hard to match their combined ego to go team but dire objective in hand really motivated them all to act as a group and they had no other choice left. Aside from the unusual alliance formed during the story, characters like Doctor Strange, Hellstorm, Secret Avengers member Beast and Giant-Man made cameo appearance into it at one point.
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Wednesday, March 10, 2010

On the verge of losing Aunt May, Peter Parker desperately searches for a way to save her and perhaps will make a deal with the devil.

To show his support for the Super-Human Registration Act, Spider-Man previously revealed his secret identity to the whole world in a press conference but after his falling with Tony Stark, he is no longer living under the security of Stark Tower now and old villains are coming after his family and close friends.

In one such instance, Kingpin hires an assassin to settle past scores with the hero by either taking him out or any of his loved ones. The sniper missed Peter Parker and he even managed to save Mary Jane but the bullet eventually hit Aunt May.

She is quickly admitted into a hospital under the false name May Morgan and Peter cannot help but blame himself for her current state while her condition only worsens. The doctor in charge inquires about her health insurance for treatment and notifies to shift her in charity ward unless they have one.

He assures Peter that he is going to do whatever he can and he goes back to Stark Tower, leading a confrontation with Iron Man. After a brief tussle, he informs Tony about May and holds him responsible for her current predicament.

Spider-Man – One More Day | Comics

Though he refused to get involved directly and let Peter walk away, he later sends Edwin Jarvis to see May and even pay for her bills. The doctor promises to make her last days comfortable but refusing to give up just yet, Pete says goodbye to Mary Jane before go looking for a way to save his aunt.

He stops at the door of Sanctum Sanctorum to see Sorcerer Supreme, Doctor Strange to find out if there is anything that can work. He too confides that there is nothing that cannot be done but still offers him a chance to travel in space and time to look for help since Spidey refused to give up hope.

One by one, Spider-Man approached Nurse Anne Ghazikhanian, Beast, Black Panther, Doctor Curt Connors, Doctor Doom, Dead Girl, Doctor Octopus, Mister Fantastic, Mister Hyde, Morbius, Storm, Wizard and Yellowjacket with his urgency but all of them had the same answers.

Stephen Strange then goes inside to bring him a drink to relieve his stress and a curious Parker jumps into The Hands of the Dead to alter destiny only to be attacked by a group of Nightwalkers who watches over to prevent altering destiny.

A timely intervention by Strange saved him and brought back to reality before he was being assimilated by those beings. Failed with every attempt, he sits on the stairs of Sanctum when a red bird starting to say the same words spoken by Stephen earlier and he followed it into an alley way to find a little girl who leads him into an alleyway.

It turns out to be Mephisto and surprisingly enough, he isn't interested in taking Peter's soul at all. However, he wants Peter and Mary Jane to give up their bond of holy matrimony in return for saving May's life.

Marvel Comics published this storyline back in 2007 in four issues that span over three monthly ongoing series; Amazing Spider-Man, Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man and Sensational Spider-Man, where Quesada served as a cover artist as well.

One Deal Breaker

Straczynski's attempt to bring a major paranormal character as Mephisto into a Spider-Man story for creating a greater impact was a move they all planned long before and he decided to execute it before he finished his run on the series. Although many have initially protested against the idea but in a long-run, it created a burden for the hero to carry around.

In the aftermath of this story, the series sees a legendary run in "Brand New Day", which started a new status quo for everyone's favorite wall-crawler and his friends. Mary Jane Watson also stays around without her and Peter hooking up again. Plus, new characters like Carlie Cooper, Daily Bugle's new owner Dexter Bennett and Menace are introduced.
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Sunday, June 1, 2008

In the endless bottom of the ocean, a giant shark is seen approaching forward and its hit by something in the middle. When near it is revealed that its body is torn in half and The Hulk is seen standing behind holding the other half of the shark. When Hulk was moving on, a giant octopus grabs his leg and drags him down to the bottom of the ocean but a raging Hulk beats it hard and starts ripping apart its' limbs, causing it to flee.

Incredible Hulk – Tempest Fugit | Comics

When he reaches to the shore, Hulk turns into Banner and is rescued by two stranger Ripley and Green. They all ran for their life after having been chased by a monster out of nowhere. Just about when they thought they are safe after moving to a corner, the Gray Hulk appears and threatened to smash them all. Upon standing on his feet, Dr. Bruce Banner quickly turns into the Hulk again to fight back and engages with his old incarnation.

Many punches are exchanged between these gamma-powered goliath till one fell. When Gray Hulk is subdued by the green Hulk, it turned out to be an imposter posed by a Mindless One. As this takes place, someone from a place unknown is keenly watching over the fight. While Hulk was trying to figure out what is going on, the legendary Fin Fang Foom enters the scene. As he tried to obliterate the Hulk after he refused to kneel before the Dragon Lord, Hulk taught him a good lesson he would remember for some time.

Ripley and Gwen are then approached by General “Thunderbolt” Ross on the other side of the jungle who led them to a secret military base called Project Smash in this mysterious Monster Island. Meanwhile, in a flashback sequence, a younger Bruce Banner is seen to have trouble in his school life and he is talking to his imaginary friend Hulk, who suggests him to smash all the puny humans. He gets beat up for standing up for a girl, his school taechers are worried for him and his abusive father tries to reach out to him.

General Ross was taking Ripley and Gwen to the facility but then gets attacked by a ferocious two-headed dog. As the situation was not crazy enough, the feral X-Man with a nasty temper shows up to slice and dice things up and so does a certain Conqueror. Or maybe someone else is responsible for the whole show.

This storyline has resolved the year long mysteries Bruce Banner were having all along with him and has a wide array of guest appearance like the villainous Kang the Conqueror, Banner’s old pal Doc Samson and Wolverine. This story might raise the question in your mind at times that either Doctor Banner or the writer himself is losing grasp on the reality around him.
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